Muse®

Sophisticated cell analysis doesn’t have to be complicated or costly. With the Muse® Cell Analyzer, you can now achieve highly quantitative results at a fraction of the price, effort, and time. The Muse Cell Analyzer packs 3-parameter analysis into a compact, easy to use benchtop device, making flow cytometry accessible to anyone, anytime. A user-friendly touchscreen interface, intuitive cell analysis software, and optimized assays work to simplify your research.

Features

Quantitative data at the single-cell level

Simple and effortless operation

Intuitive cell analysis software and touchscreen user interface

Rapid setup and analysis

Optimized Muse assays

Compact size: footprint of only 8 in x 10 in (20 cm x 25 cm)

Flow cytometry technology in an affordable instrument

The Muse Instrument has an integrated touchscreen and software for data acquisition and analysis using optimized Muse Assays. Its microcapillary flow cell is engineered for acquisition of both suspension and adherent cells 2-60 microns in diameter.

Muse uses fluorescent reagents and detection to measure three parameters for every cell, with little or no sample preparation required. Muse assays are available for precision cell counts, as well as single-cell measurement of critical cell parameters.

How the Muse Cell Analyzer Works

Muse Cell Analysis Principle

The Muse Cell Analyzer uses miniaturized fluorescence detection and microcapillary cytometry to deliver single-cell analysis, which is highly quantitative — especially when compared with traditional bulk methods like microscopy and Western blot.

Sample collection, acquisition, and analysis of results is achieved in just a few steps. The user interface is designed to be intuitive, so you spend less time with experimental setup and analysis for the critical cell health assays you need most.

Laser-based Fluorescence Detection

The system delivers high-performance cell analysis using a microcapillary technology and miniaturized optics which occupy one-tenth the space of a typical cytometer. Laser-based fluorescence detection of each cell event can evaluate up to 3 cellular parameters. As a result, Muse provides more quantitative results than non-flow based imaging systems, which only examine up to two parameters, are time-consuming, and provide less quantitative data.

The system uses a microcapillary and miniaturized optics, which occupy one-tenth the space of a typical cytometer. This means that the instrument occupies only an 8 in x 10 in (20 cm x 25 cm) footprint. A green diode laser is used for excitation, and a uniquely designed series of retro-reflective lenses provide maximum light capture and sensitivity.

Highly Intuitive Touchscreen Interface

Muse features a highly intuitive touchscreen interface that allows simple step-by-step operation, so easy that no flow expertise is required to run assays. The touchscreen prompts you through simple on-screen instructions and guides you though sample loading to simple setting adjustments to results—in just a few steps.

Software

Muse Software is designed to be simple enough for any user to follow setup instructions to achieve sample acquisition, on the first use. Assay-specific software modules include sample graphs to make population gating setup foolproof. Results are displayed in both graphical and statistical formats specific to each application, making analysis unambiguous.

Muse Cell Analyzer Performance

Cell quantitation and analysis techniques, such as hemocytometry, that are based on image analysis have limited sensitivity and objectivity, and sample sizes may be too small for statistical analysis. Muse assays use relative fluorescence and flow cytometry to assess thousands of cells per sample, rendering data that is more accurate, more precise, and more reliable than traditional methods.

Accurate Cell Concentrations

Multiple adherent and suspension cell types were harvested, diluted, and counted. Cell counts from all three methods were averaged to obtain “theoretical cell concentration”. Each point represents the average cell concentration of 3 replicates, and each data series was fit with linear regression. Muse cell analysis data was correlated with the theoretical concentration with slope closest to 1, indicating superior accuracy.

Precise Results

The Muse Cell Analyzer counts cells and measures viability more precisely with smaller coefficients of variation (%CV) than manual hemocytometry or image-based automated analysis. When compared with image-based automated counting methods and manual hemocytometers, the Muse Cell Analyzer exhibited a narrower range of %CVs and consistently provided variation of less than 10% over the entire range of samples tested. Higher %CVs were observed for the Trypan blue-based methods, particularly at lower cell concentrations.

Analysis

Cell Concentration

Viability

Average % CV

% CV Range

Average % CV

% CV Range

Image-based Automated Counter

9.2%

1.2-23.3%

3.7%

0.8-12.1%

Manual Hemocytometer

9.2%

6.3%

4.5%

0.5-9.2%

Muse

4.0%

0.3-8.8%

2.2%

0.4-5.6%

The Muse Cell Analyzer provides superior precision for cell concentration and viability measurements, compared to Trypan blue-based analyses. Data are based on triplicate measurements of 30 cellular samples from suspension and adherent cell lines at multiple concentrations and viabilities.

Linear Results Across Multiple Cell Types

The concentration measurements for serial dilutions of five representative cell lines are shown, and include both adherent and suspension cells. Each point represents the average of three replicates. Expected cell concentrations were calculated by measuring the stock sample concentration with the Muse Cell Analyzer, then dividing by the dilution factor to obtain theoretical concentrations of diluted samples. Data show the comparison of observed vs. expected cell concentrations.

Assays for Muse Cell Analyzer

For the assays you rely on most, we’ve developed optimized kits, validated for robust performance on the Muse Cell Analyzer. Typical cell preparation protocols have been condensed and simplified, so sample preparation is fast and easy. You don’t need to optimize any software settings – the Muse Instrument calculates all gating parameters and thresholds for you. Spend less time with experimental setup, avoid reagent waste, and save money.

Customer Testimonials

As scientists, peer review is the gold standard by which we assess technologies, second only to trying out tools and reagents ourselves. Routine but essential cell analysis assays are faster, easier, and more data-rich with the Muse Instrument. Get more insight on the Muse Cell Analyzer from our customers.

Read the Muse Cell Analyzer Reviews

“My lab has been using the Muse for about one year now and I can say that the Muse is exceptional. The Muse cuts the time of manually counting by half… I would recommend the Muse to anyone who does manual counting.”

– T. Weaver, Duke University, USA

“I just started to use Muse Cell Analyzer, and I’m happy with it at least for now. The machine is user-friendly, easy to learn and maintain. The thing I have to mention is I had a good experience with the custom service. Larry is very helpful.”

– M. Zhao, University at Buffalo, USA

“We bought the Muse in order to do quick experiments without having the full set up of a FACS…We are able to do quick and accurate cell counts, then run assays all in the convenience of the lab. The results seem to be consistent with what we would be getting using the FACS.“